Marin Readers' Forum for April 20

Marin County is the only place in the world where renters have no legal rights and/or protection against rents doubling and tripling at the whim of a landlord. Typically, Marin leases are for only a year — after which, the renter is automatically on a month-to-month agreement.

That simply means with only a month's notice, a renter can be forced to move due to an enormous rent increase.

It happens all the time and this little secret is on the increase.

The Marin Housing Authority has a waiting list of over 7,000 — and has not accepted applications for any housing assistance for over five years.

How can Marin continue to turn its back on its growing population of displaced residents?

Sandra Macleod White, Sausalito

Benefits from chickens

I hope the Kent Woodlands Property Owners Association relents its legal pursuit of young Raine Matthes and her chickens.

Its definition of "usual" household pets includes caged birds and I will argue that chickens have been traditional partners in households far longer than parakeets.

Chickens are sweet creatures that make good pets and reduce household waste that would ordinarily be destined for the green can.

Belgium issues two chickens per household in some of its communities as an alternative method of waste management.

Taking care of chickens teaches kids about the cycle of life and helps them learn to respect and recognize the importance of nature as the source of our body's nutrition and our spirit's inspiration.

Raising our own food also enhances our food security.

Look at Cuba's agricultural history and how small homegrown food sources kept citizens fed when the Soviet Union fell apart and stopped supporting the big business approach to agriculture that existed at that time.

Raine Matthes' experience with her chickens is the type we want to nurture, not punish. Please, allow Raine to keep her well-managed, innocuous and tenderly loved flock.

Glenda Corning, Corte Madera

Smart parents count, too

'Mark Phillips' April 14 Marin Voice column — "Myth's and effective education" — would have us believe that educational success is largely dependent on wealth and socioeconomic status.

That is a politically acceptable diagnosis, and one that contains the promise of relatively easy and socially just remedies, but is it correct?

I don't think so.

A less attractive answer is that socioeconomic status and educational success are both derived from the same source — intelligence.

Smart parents have smart kids, and those smart kids do well in school.

Mr. Phillips would no doubt counter with various studies that prove me to be wrong. Well, all I can say is that when any philosophical position is in need of support, a study can always be found.

And by the way, before we draw too many conclusions from the success of the Finnish school system, it's always wise to remember that the largest minority group in Finland, a country with a population less than that of New York City, is Swedish.